Twin Speak:DressCode

To All Girls Who Have Lost Their Hair: Make Your Own Bald Barbies Yourself!

2012-01-15T02:45:00.000-05:00

Full disclosure here. I went bald in college at Yale on purpose. Twice. Before Michael Jordan or Sinead O’Connor made it fashionable. Does that mean I agree with the over 100,000 people in favor of the Bald Barbie Movement currently being campaigned on Facebook on behalf of girls who have lost their hair to illnesses or cancer chemotherapy? Absolutely not. Hell to the no. One can’t deny the power of the Barbie on the image, hearts and minds of girls, boys and media both yesterday and today. A newly, dramatically, slimmed down Jennifer Hudson says her weight loss has her feeling “like a Barbie.” On that reality TV show known as “Sex and the City” Carrie Bradshaw admits she got so mad she did the unspeakable and cut off all the hair on her Barbie. And just this last Christmas season, a woman in Georgia organized a volunteer group to style the hair of black Barbies into Afros so that African-American girls could play with dolls with natural hair, hopefully to drive home the idea that “good hair” is a bad paradigm when it comes to self-acceptance and pride. Read More at Fashion and Function

Simon Doonan Tells Us Why Gay Men Don't Get Fat And Why Being a Girl is Complicated

2012-01-11T01:48:00.001-05:00

While Gay Men Don't Get Fat is primarily a humor book, Simon, the Creative Director at Barney's insists that some of the underlying themes are quite serious. "I do think it's a very complex time to be a girl," he said. "The expectations on girls are extraordinary now — you have to look like Gisele and be professionally successful." Along with plenty of talk about female empowerment, Simon encourages people to "go nuts" in respect to self expression, and urges that both men and women stop being so critical of themselves. After all, when it comes to personal style, "It's all subjective, isn't it?" Complex time to be a girl? You said it, sister Simon! Between the demands we face such as the expectation that one changes hairstyle, haircolor and hair length and nail color and length on a daily basis to wearing stilts camouflaged as shoes to somehow having enough time to entrepreneur our way into owning several multi-million dollar businesses while keeping up with the 10 new fashion trends announced each day on the blogs...on top of all that we're now expected to also attend Harvard business school like Tyra Banks is doing. It's hard out here for a pimp? They've got it a lot easier than today's working girls.

The Future of Fashion's Ecology: Wear & Re-Wear, Recycle and Upcycle, New Uses for Old Materials

2012-01-07T21:12:00.003-05:00

The “Greening” of Fashion is slowly but certainly gaining a toehold in the hearts and minds of both designers and consumers. Considering that we each discard over 60 lbs. of clothing each year, there is a lot of room and material to think about and work with. From simple (and maybe impractical) ideas about wearing the same outfit for a month to reworking materials such as drapery and upholstery fabrics, innovative designers are stitching together new ways of dressing.

False Eyelashes: You, Too Can Blink and Wink in the Styles Seen on Nicki and Gaga

2012-01-03T21:26:00.003-05:00

The Eyelashes Have It! Straight from the windows of the flagship store on 34th Street in New York City, this Macy's window is chock-a-block with false eyelashes in all shapes, colors, designs and sizes.

Obviously, big, bold and brassy eyelashes aren't just for Nicky Minaj and Lady Gaga anymore. And there's nothing false about their impact. These are not for the timid at -heart fashionista, by any stretch of the imagination.

With every blink and wink you take, people won't be able to keep their eyes off of your eyes.

Girls Get Tricked Into Buying Princesses and Pink Stuff, According to Riley

2011-12-26T23:27:00.004-05:00

Ice Cube Is On Team Eames

2011-12-18T23:59:00.000-05:00

In case you didn't know, Ice Cube studied architectural drafting before his rap game took off.

Breaking News: Fake Bodies in H&M ads!!!!

2011-12-18T00:37:00.039-05:00

News item from online source Jezebel.com states that discount clothier H & M uses computer generated bodies and then just pastes a random head on top of the cyborg neck in their advertising. With technology and robotics, human beings are being pushed out of more and more lucrative careers, it's amazing that modeling with real people has lasted as long as it has. Real models are so "difficult" to work with, we guess, because H&M says the computer-generated bodies are much better at "displaying the clothing" than real bodies. The only problem is, until computer-generated digital bodies start buying their own clothing, real people--and by "real people" we mean "women" and "girls"--have two DISMAL sources of unrealistic imagery to choose from when looking at most situations: an anorexic-based/heroin chic human being or a cookie-cutter avatar body wearing somebody else's head.

We wonder why anyone should have a problem with this. NOT!

And for absurdity's sake, check out the above belly buttons. They are all the same. Weird. We could be looking at the the same belly button in every single bikini ad from now until eternity.

And you know what else? This is kind of like what has happened with the farmers who make decisions about our food choices. Take the tomato. Real food is "so difficult" to work with so we play around with it until we get something that is easy to ship and doesn't readily bruise, and it still looks a lot like a tomato. But it tastes like cardboard and is essentially fradulent. It has only a tenuous connection to the real McCoy.

We realize that authenticity means different things to different people and that business reasons factor into the survival of all businesses. But this H&M thing feels like a high fashion crime or at the very least, a serious misdemeanor.

Gambling on Fashion: The July26 Twins and Friends

2011-12-16T19:37:00.001-05:00

Our Gift to You This Holiday Season: Beauty Isn't What It's Photoshopped Up To Be

2011-12-16T17:40:00.001-05:00

This video is from 2006, but it is as timely as ever.

In More of Today's "Hair-raising" News

2011-12-13T20:22:00.000-05:00

MTV's show, "True Life" is searching for Black Women who want to leave the weave and go with the 'fro! If reality TV and the earlier post about Barbie are any indication, the natural hair movement may be coming soon to a scalp near you and/or me.

Details: "Is your hair your obsession? How are you struggling with your hair? Do you feel natural hair would let you embrace your true self, and you want to go for the “big chop?” Why now? What has held you back up to this moment? We would like to follow someone who is ready to do the “big chop” and follow them on their journey as they transition into their natural hair.

If you appear to be between the ages of 15 -28 and would like us to document your transition to natural hair, email us at casting@lintonmedia.com and tell us about your story. Please include your name, location, phone number and recent photos of yourself."

It will be fascinating to see who and how and why Black women are going toward the Afro hairstyle in the "True Life" format MTV utilizes. In other words, the pros and the cons will be emphasized very strongly and there will have to be some conflict.

Another salient point is that everyone's hair is different and "looking natural" doesn't always mean "no fuss." The "no make-up" look actually needs make-up and the skills to pull it off. When it comes to beauty, things aren't always as simple as they seem, are they?

Barbie, Now With Natural Hair, Under Certain Circumstances

2011-12-13T16:40:00.007-05:00

Thanks to an enterprising woman in Georgia and her group of friends, little girls around that state's city of Columbus will receive an exclusive Barbie this Christmas. A Barbie that's not available in any store. Well, actually, it kind of is. From the Columbus, GA Ledger-Enquirer:

"Candace McBride remembers wanting a Barbie doll as a girl.

'It’s kind of an iconic doll. Every girl wants a Barbie. I wanted a Barbie when I was a girl,'she said.

"This Christmas, she’s hoping to give a few girls their own Barbies -- ones that look a little more like them."McBride is part of an African-American natural hair group that meets regularly at the Columbus public library that decided to give Barbie dolls to girls at Booker T. Washington apartments for Christmas. Though Barbie comes in 50 different nationalities, most of the dolls, even the African-Americans ones have straight hair.

“When you look for dolls, they all have straight hair,” she said, adding that she’s noticed that many of the dolls also have blue or green eyes. “It’s tricky even to find ones with brown eyes,” she said.

She found an online tutorial that uses pipe cleaners and boiling water to give Barbie natural-looking curls. After they collect the dolls -- they want to gather about 40 -- group members will give them a natural hair makeover before giving them to the girls."
This project certainly grabbed our attention. Barbie is a big part of the socio-cultural consciousness of young girls as well as the rest of society. She has always been a bell-weather of style and at least these women in Georgia believe that now is a great time for Black girls' hair to go "au naturel."

SNL on the Kardashians

2011-11-07T15:07:00.001-05:00

Happy Halloween from the Lamp in The Christmas Story Movie

2011-10-31T15:14:00.003-04:00

BTW, Cory Doctorow, the submitter of this photo, is a fantastic writer and award-winning thinker on technology, economic and science issues. If his name is familiar, he is a founder of www.boingboing.net.

Shoes Amaze Us. This Is a Michaelangelo Moment in Shoes

2011-10-20T15:40:00.002-04:00

On the other hand, maybe it's an S & M moment in shoes.

Sammy Davis Shows us how-to-Halloween in Style

2011-10-18T16:44:00.000-04:00

Court-Ordered Clothing

2011-10-02T21:47:00.002-04:00

The July 26 Twins hereby order everyone to wear this awesome ensemble by Haider Ackermann.

Doesn't Make Sense: Fashion? Or Music? Discuss.

2011-10-01T16:57:00.006-04:00

Fashion doesn't always make sense. Lyrics to music don't always make sense. The song, "My Adidas" combined fashion and music in a highly intellectual and astute manner akin to Shakespeare or Kanye, but that's not the point. The nice people in this video spent some time on their "looks" and their music "hooks."

They sing "lyrics" that are nonsensical. If we were to post all the nonsensical fashions out there, the interwebs would collapse. So enjoy this video.

Vogue: Did you forget to Photoshop this ugly thing?

2011-09-23T18:37:00.003-04:00

My little toe hurts just looking at the foot in these red flaming hot Cheetos/toes, oops, I mean red flaming hot shoes. Vogue, did you forget to Photoshop the blister on this here foot? By the way, the shoes are Prada, as in the "Devil Wears..." So are these pyrotechnic kicks hellacious, or what?

In Today's Fashion Equation, Baskets are Hats

2011-09-20T13:34:00.002-04:00

One, two, button my shoe. Three, four, shut the door. Five, six, pick up sticks. Seven, eight, wearing your basket as a hat is great. Nine, ten, that's what this fashionista recommends.

John Galliano's Twin on Conan O'Brien

2011-09-15T01:54:00.001-04:00

Pose A Question / Question a Pose

2011-08-27T21:01:00.003-04:00

"In her performance piece “Poses,” Spanish artist Yolanda Dominguez created a witty satire of fashion photography by having women awkwardly hold exaggerated fashion poses in public places, much to the confusion of onlookers."

“Poses” is a direct criticism of the absurd and artificial world of glamour and of fashion that magazines present. Specifically, the highly-distorted image of women that they transmit through models that do not represent real women and that avoid all those who are not within their restricted parameters. (via Laughing Squid)

Come On Up and Party On the Roof! The DressCode = Fly and Flyerrrrrrrr

2011-08-20T13:23:00.003-04:00

Want to get your summertime party on? Here's a groovy video of an NYC party up on the roof. It's like a mini-vacation...Chillax and HollaBack in the comments if you're feeling it. And yes, they are drankin' some "Duck Duck" (Grey Goose). Have fun at the ParTay, y'all!

Pre-Sanded Bottoms Are The New Thing in Swim Fashion? What's Next? Pre-Pooped Diapers?

2011-07-21T16:18:00.005-04:00

As seen on the fashion runways and posted on The Huffington Post: Pre-Sanded Bottoms.

What's next? Pre-Pooped Diapers? Pre-Hacked Phones? Pre-Athlete's Footed Sandals? Pre-Runs in Pantyhose? Pre-B.O. in T-shirts? Pre-Bad Breath in Mouthwash? Pre-Ear Wax on Q-Tips? The possibilities are like a bottomless pit...pre-sanded, of course.

July 26 Twin Barbara Glass Interviewed on BBC about Christine Lagarde IMF Managing Director

2011-07-18T16:37:00.006-04:00

Barbara Glass

Congratulations to Barbara who was the only U.S. fashion blogger to be interviewed on BBC radio on new International Monetary Fund President, Christine Lagarde's, impeccable style.

IMF President Christine Lagarde

Function Meets Form in Fashion: Levi's

2011-07-15T00:05:00.000-04:00